


RETRIEVING the RUBY

by Stilbie_chan_495



Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Fanon, Gay, Heist, M/M, Rivalry, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:33:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28940784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stilbie_chan_495/pseuds/Stilbie_chan_495
Summary: A young Reginald Copperbottom, for whatever reason, now has to work with this smug redhead that just appeared someday. Although they do have a rivalry, certainly nothing will go wrong, right?
Relationships: Reginald Copperbottom & Right Hand Man
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	RETRIEVING the RUBY

The airship was bustling this day with mutters and chatter as reginald shuffled and struggled through the herd of toppats. As he was trying to catch up with them he noticed someone in the corner of his eye through the crowds of people. Some redhead was leaning against the wall down the hall. That can't be right, Reg thought. Shouldn't he be at least somewhere? At the meeting? Reginald could've ignored it like everyone else, but like the bratty perfectionist he was, he pranced over to him, most likely about to give him a lecture.

He confidently pranced over to the man gazing to the floor and poked him on his cold shoulder. "Excuse me sir, haven't you got to go somewhere, perhaps?" He chimed.

The man then leaned over him, intimidating Reginald's stature. He lifted his headset away from his ear to hear the tiny man.  
"...eh?"

"You heard me! You're supposed to get right to meeting room now, everyone's supposed to be there! The intercom said so!" Reginald barked back. He hated getting talked back to.

"...And who are you again?" He asked, clueless.

"Oh, excuse me!" Reginald scoffed. "I'm the raid leader of this clan, sir. Not to mention the son of the previous cheif himself, Sir Wilford the fourth! What, weren't you paying attention to the recruitment lecture?" Reginald ranted, continuing to go on. The mystery man took out a small notebook and started jotting down a few words out of his view as he spoke.

"Ah, I apologize, sir..." he said nonchalantly. "I'm quite new to 'dis whole 'toppat' thing. What's your name, exactly?" The headset man daid formally.

Reginald took out a sigh to even himself out. He realized he was getting a bit out of hand with his bickering again. "Reginald Copperbottom. Yours?"

He just stared, as if it where an odd question.

"Alright then!" Reginald chimed. "However the point still stands; we have a meeting to get to! We're gonna be late!" Reginald took the man by the hand and dragged him into the crowd's current.

...

Reginald took a seat as the mysterious headset man did as well. People chattered and made small talk, while the two stayed quiet. The redhead analyzed the room carefully, studying the toppat's interactions; meanwhile Reginald just sat patiently waiting for it to start, a little smile amongst the noise. all was restless right until the door was pushed open.

Amongst the trembling silence was a colorful figure with vibrant hair. They proudly took a step onto the table, swishing their hair.  
"Hello all you gorgeous bastards!" Randy sang. "We have some absolutely WONDERFUL news tonight~"  
As the cheif spoke, Reg cocked his head over to his acquaintance, who had his feet kicked up on the table.

"So, 'dis is what the alleged 'Randy Radman' looks like, huh." He said under his breath.

"Of course they do." Reginald stated, catching his friend off gaurd. "What, were you blind?"

"if it ain't for their outfit, I would see something a bit more than a heap of glitter."

Reginald burst out an offended gasp. "Excuse me! don't talk about the chief that way in front of the clan, you ruffian!"

"Oh, you-" he nearly barked back before being interrupted by the person behind him.

"Well, well, what's the issue here?" Said the chief, startling both.

"Oh! Mx. Radman, how lucky you're here! This man has unfortunately started making unflattering comments about you..." Reginald pleaded dramatically. He smirked back at the headset boy deviously.

"Oh, really...?" Randy said, leaning over to the mysterious man beside Reginald. He looked up as they stared at him, leaning in as a shadow went over their face. "And who could you be, sir?"

"..Red, sire." Red quickly amswered, sweat running down his face. "I am deeply sorry for anything I said, uh, chief."

"Ah! Good." Randy sprang out of their intimidating stature.. "Anyways we have an important announcement, so listen up you two." Randy happily pranced away as Reginald wished they'd haven't let him off the hook that easily.

Their Right hand pulled down a projector screen, revealing a powerpoint presentation as Randy got out a cane to point at the screen.

"As you see folks, a new casino has just popped up in the city. But this ain't any ol' casino... they have a lot more than a hella lotta money."  
The slide turned to a picture of a bright red gem.

"they used this bad boy, the romanian ruby, as a fountain decoration. According to statistics, it costs about 50 million dollars!"

The crowd stared in awe as Red stayed comepletely unfazed.

"And they don't even know it, either! Allegedly they mistook it for some prop, so it's gonna be real easy to take it without them worrying. Reginald, you'll be in charge of the operation!"  
Reg let out a little "yess!".

"...And for you, Red..." Randy smirked deviously, "...Will be as well."

"Wait, huh?" Red said springing up from his bored daydream.

"Excuse me, him?" Reginald said in shock. Red was assumedly just some new recruit. How was he going to lead an operation like this? "He's only just some new guy!"

"Oh, I just see potential in him." Randy said in subtle sarcasm. They knew that they were doing, probably.

Reginald growled softly and turned to Red, who held a smug look. "What?"

"You better not mess this up for the both of us." Reginald mumbled.

...

It was near midnight as the toppat airship was heading towards the casino, overlooking the bright and bustling city. Reg and Red were both waiting in the crowd of other toppats for their raid in the casino, huddled against the escape pod doors.

"Listen, Red. If you get this ruby first before me I won't bug you. If you don't I'll keep tormenting you."

"That's assuming you could even get yourself in the first place, twink." Red laughed.

"Oh shut up, in a few minutes we'll be there. The bet is on, got it?"

"Got it."

"You party people ready?" Randy chimed from the intercom, embarrassing Reg with their lingo.

"Yes, we are..." Reginald yelled back.

"Alright! We'll be firing up the pods. You two will be landing on the roof, the fountain is at the first floor. The casino's always open, so be careful!"

The two rivals got into the pod cramped in with a couple others and were sent off. The pod safely landed onto the top of the building, toppats lowering themselves to the side of the building and into the bushes. The group appeared in front of the doors of the casino, pulling out their fake id's to get in. Reginald convinced the gaurds to take them in. They didn't need to worry about being noticed here, as toppats were no different looking from regular high class. As soon as everyone came in they started searching for the ruby, acting nonchalantly throughout. Reginald had been wandering around for a few minutes avoiding security cameras, all until he saw something glimmering in the back of his eye.

There it was, the Ruby all by itself in its own room. A centerpeice fountain just in front of the elevator. It's bright red luster glimmered against the ceiling lights. It was much bigger than he envisioned, but the more the merrier. He carefully walked in, overseeing the ruby in its true glory. Carefully and silently, he stepped up on the fountain and-

Ah. Red.

They were gripping both sides of the gem, balancing on the top of the fountain.

"Someone got a bit slow in the race, huh?" Right teased.

"Don't get too cocky here, sir." Reginald said, pulling the Ruby back towards himself. "I'll be taking care of this situation."

"Ohoho, you think you can take the crown for yourself, ey pal? I'll be taking this, thank you very much." Red did the same and pulled the Ruby towards him.

The two started playing tug-of-war with the gem as they bickered with eachother, each statement causing the Ruby to be wiggled out of it's place.

The two were getting louder and louder until suddenly sirens blared and they could hear the gaurd's feet stampede into the room.

"Stop it right there! Surrender the gem now or else!"

Red and Reginald looked at them and then looked at eachother.

"Yeah, let's leave." The two then sprinted to the elevator opposite of the door and got in as Reg panickedly pressed the button to the top door, the doors closing slowly. Luckily they had closed just in time, the gaurds barely reaching it. Both breathed out as they laid their backs on the back wall of the elevator.

"Y'know, this wouldn't have happened if you were actually stealthy about it." Reginald scoffed.

"Well you could've had this if you didn't take initiative." Teased Red, holding the ruby in his arms.

"Gahhh, give that back!" Reg scowled as they both fought over the ruby again until the elevator got at their destination, as both rushed out to get back to the roof.

Red still held the ruby in his arms, sprinting down the hall behind Reginald due to the gem's weight. Suddenly a gaurd tackled him from behind, as Red fell down, the ruby slipping from his hands, and looked up to see the nightgaurd's face. This was gonna be the end wasn't it-

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Reginald kicked the gaurd out of his way and sent them flying.

"Get up! They'll catch you if we don't hurry!"

Red got up as Reginald picked up the Ruby, running off with it. The two got to the window they had dropped in front of before as security surrounded them. Reginald broke the glass of the window with the ruby, climbing back up to the roof with Red doing so as well.

As soon as they got up, both raced and fought eachother for the ruby as the airship was coming overhead. Reginald had fought he caught the ruby successfully, but was then pulled away from it as he was forced into a... dip?

Red looked down at Reginald, red-faced from their position. His face was just a bit too close to his...

"Ah." Reginald squawked.

"Well at least we're not fighting." Red chuckled.

"...Shut up..." Reg said huffy-faced.

While they were in the moment, a ladder fell down beside them.

"Hey, you two!! Get up here! Ya got what we want?" Boomed a loud voice.

"Uhh, yup!" Red chimed, carrying Reg and the ruby, climbing up tge ladder. Reg was suprised how strong he was.

As they arrived the small group of toppats there clapped as Reg hopped off Red's arms and Red put his hands in his pockets, glancing at the crowd in front of them. Randy came from behind the group in awe of what they just retrieved.

"Well, well. Seems you two are the last two out of there. Must've been tough, eh?" Randy took the ruby from them.

Reg glanced back at Red. "It wouldn't have been the two of us if Red didn't fuck up the mission."

"Hey! Don't try blaming it on me, pal! I did absolutely nothing." Red said nonchalantly and sarcastically.

"Oh c'mon Reg, take it easy on him. He's just a brand new recruit. You two better get along soon." Randy said, walking away from them.

Red smirked. This was aaaall comin' to plan. Oh, and the twink, too. He had plans for him.

...

It was just a day after the ruby incident. Red was just walking, humming down an empty quiet hallway. Suddenly, heavy footsteps came from someone behind him. Red looked back from behind him and saw Wilford, someone Reginald had mentioned. He towered his height and looked down back at him, as if he knew something.

"Uh, hello sir." Red squeaked.

"Hello." Wilford said in a stoic tone. Red gulped.

"Nice to meet you. The names Re-"

"No need to explain yourself. I already know. My son told me about you."

"He did?"

"Yes, yes. I even saw you steal the ruby with him... pretty impressive, I must say. Quite a feat for a recruit."

"Yeah, I'm real talented."

"Say, what made you join this clan in the first place?"

That caught Red off-gaurd. "I- I'd rather not inform that."

"Hm. I respect that."

Red was suprised. These people are easy to trust. Strangely no one has tried to behead him yet, like he expected. But still, he needed to stay quiet.

"Well, nice meetin' ya sir, I'll be on my way now-"

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Somewhere else from here!" Red echo'd down the hallway as he was already out of Wilford's sight.

"Alright general, we have new info."


End file.
